Frequently asked questions

Although we share many resources, the March for Science, Las Vegas does not receive financial support from the Washington D.C. group. Our local event depends on the generosity of you, our community.

Why are you marching this year?

Science continues to be ignored or minimized in the crafting of policies that should rely on robust scientific input. Ongoing silencing of science affects every conceivable sphere, from environment to education to health care. We choose to march again this year because there is something powerful about bringing millions of people from around the globe together to send a message in support of equitable, evidence-based policies that serve all communities. There’s power in numbers and we will use that platform to demand better from our public officials.

What has changed from last year’s march?

There’s been a sea of empowerment over the last year, with several grassroots movements taking shape. It shows that people are looking for change and will mobilize to advocate for the values that are important to them and their communities.

Like other grassroots efforts, April 22, 2017 was a powerful day in support of science. But we knew a one-day rally wouldn't create a miraculous, overnight shift in policy and that more work would be needed. And we were right, because science has continued to face increasing threats at the federal, state, and local levels.

Satellite organizers, partner organizations, and members of the scientific community have spent the last year strengthening our commitment to science in policy and organizing ourselves to foster better civic engagement within our communities.

We’ve developed the infrastructure to support sustainable and sustained engagement and advocacy work.(example, guides to advocacy). We’ve built and connected an expansive and diverse community of stakeholders who can bemobilized for action at every scale. (example P2A campaigns). We’ve become more focused on leveraging the collective voice of our supporters with coordinated advocacy initiatives.

Is this a protest against a specific political party?

No. When politicians of any affiliation skew, ignore, or interfere with science, that’s a problem. Science has long been an established, reliable tool for reducing human bias in decision-making. So while science can’t tell us what to do, it should absolutely inform the choices we make. As scientists, it’s our job to speak the truth, to be transparent and to work with integrity no matter what — and that includes the political environment in which we work. We owe it to our profession and our communities to do more to make science work for everyone. In doing so, we hope we can improve how politicians view science, too.

What does the march mean when it says it’s non-partisan?

We take strong stands on policy issues based on the best available scientific evidence, but we will not let our movement be defined by any one politician or party nor do we try to advance the prospects of any party or individual. Science affects people everywhere, and we want to build a movement that can advance science’s ability to serve communities for a very long time, long after today’s politicians have left office and however political parties evolve.

How does the march define being political?

The march is explicitly a political movement, aimed at holding leaders in politics and science accountable. When institutions of any affiliation skew, ignore, misuse or interfere with science, we have to speak out. Science should inform political decision making. At the same time, political decisions deeply influence the type of science we are able to do and the type of people who are allowed to conduct science and benefit from scientific advancements.

What are the goals of the march? What are you hoping to achieve? What is the point of the march? Is there a theme for the march?

Our focus for this year’s march is accountability--not just of public officials, but for ourselves as being the catalyst for change. We will march again and raise our voices to remind officials that we will hold them accountable for passing equitable, evidence-based policies that serve all people and all communities. With the midterm elections around the corner, our rally will mobilize our diverse, powerful coalition of advocates to make their voices heard at the polls this November.

What has MFS achieved since last year’s march?

Last year we came together to demand a place for science in policy. This year, we are more focused on mobilizing for effective change. We’ve hosted listening sessions with our partners to identify priority areas where the MFS as an organization can fill in gaps in advocacy and outreach needs and to facilitate collaborations with existing efforts.Based on those conversations, we have continued to develop publicly available resources and toolkits to empower people around the world to be more effective science advocates, including:

Guides to Advocacy

Outreach Planning Guide

Legal resources

Guides to planning events

Advocates have taken more than 70,000 actions, signing petitions, making calls, and writing emails to their legislators on issues such as the Paris Climate Agreement, Graduate Student Tax Waiver, Nominations of Several Individuals to Scientific Posts and Advisory Roles since the April 2017 marches.

The coalition also launched its Vote for Science year-long campaign, aimed at creating a direct civic link between science supporters and their policymakers by encouraging science supporters across the country to hold their representatives accountable for crafting and implementing equitable evidence-based policies every day. March for Science is registering and mobilizing voters to turnout for the 2018 midterm elections and emphasizing the integral connection between science and policy.

The organization has strengthened its reach within local communities with the development of its Community Grant Program and Students for Science program and supported their communities during times of need, helping displaced scientists find lab space following recent disastrous hurricanes.